WINTER OLYMPICS 2010: Tie-break decider for David Murdoch's men in bid to reach curling semi-finals

World champion David Murdoch’s curlers find themselves in the Rhona Martin position after losing their final round-robin game on Tuesday night to Norway.

They face a tie-break on Wednesday against Sweden, who beat Denmark 7-6 on the last stone to prevent Britain going straight through. Win and Britain will qualify as the final team in Thursday’s semi-finals, the same route Martin took to Olympic gold in 2002.

The Norwegians have been dubbed ‘the clowns’ because of their large check trousers but they have played like potential champions, losing only two of their nine games. If Britain win their tie-break, it will be Norway they must play again in the semis.

Murdoch has struggled to find a consistent rhythm, losing three of his first six matches and now a fourth to finish with a 5-4 record.

Murdoch held Thomas Ulsrud’s team to 4-4 after four ends but he lost two in the fifth and three more in the seventh before conceding after the next end found him 9-5 down with two to play.

Eve Muirhead’s British women’s team went out after defeat by Denmark and Canada.

‘Sorry, guys,’ said the 19-year-old, struggling to hold back tears after a personal error cost her team two shots and the lead on the ninth end against the Danes. It was not her first unforced error.

‘I am gutted with that,’ she added. ‘We have worked so hard over the last year or so and to finish like this at the Olympics is disappointing.’